remove from Massachusetts and settle immediately here, as we know the offer has been made to Governor Lawrence and rejected upon their requiring an Assembly to be first established, in order that they might have proper laws for their regulation and security of their property.
As for evidence of people leaving the colony for want of an Assembly (those that are already gone), it would take time to collect them as they are dispersed in the colonies ; and though one hundred more families are upon the point of removing, they are extremely fearful of being denied passes if they should be found to have given such evidence, for you must know that Governor Lawrence obliges every master of a vessel to enter into bond, under a penalty of fifty pounds forfeiture, for every person they carry away without licence obtained under his hand ; and, this is done without the least shadow of law or order of Council ; nor can any inhabitant go three miles from town without a certificate from a justice of the peace, so that Halifax is really a prison to all intents and purposes.
As for what you mention of the depositions not coming under the seal of the Province, we beg leave to inform you that it has never been allowed to be fixed to any papers but their own, instead whereof Governor Lawrence fixes his private seal, and must see all the evidence or his secretary ; therefore, to such kind of evidence it would be impossible to procure that, and, for want of the Province seal, many have suffered in their lawsuits in the neighboring colonies, or at the expense of sending witnesses where their suits have been depending, which are some among the many rights we are debarred of.
But we hope before this time many complaints have reached the ear of the Minister, and that it will shortly evidently appear, if it is not already manifest, that whilst Governor Lawrence has the least influence in American affairs, so long will ruin and confusion attend them. This truth, General Shirley in England, and Lord Charles Hay when he goes there, will, we are informed, make evident to demonstration, for it is generally believed, that, whatever specious crime may be alleged against Lord Charles Hay, his confinement was solely due to Governor Lawrence’s insinuations to Lord Loudun, upon a private disgust to that Lord for examining too freely into the expenses of batteries, etc., etc., and speaking too contemptibly of what had been done for the mighty sums expended in Nova Scotia.
We had not touched upon those matters, but as we think Providence more immediately seems to concern itself in discovering the villainous arts of the authors of our calamities, and hope will direct its measures in pouring vengeance on the man whose sole aim seems to have to blast the good intentions of his country and to make all subordinates to him miserable.
It is with pleasure we hear that the accounts of Nova Scotia will be strictly enquired into, as we are very sure, if they were sifted to the bottom, it will be found that not less than ten thousand pounds, of rum, molasses (of which there was not less than 30,000 gallons, which alone was worth £3,000), beef,
